Breathe for Me
by Twilight DeLucca
Summary: Sakura is found injured in the middle of an asthma attack in the forest. In order to save her outer self, Inner Sakura separates herself from her long enough to run into the village for help. On her way into the village, she runs into Gaara, the Kazekage. Now being rewritten and uploaded. Please be patient.
1. Found in the Woods

Twilight: Hello everyone. I want to start this little story off with this: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! IF I DID, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SHAMELESS WITH PAIRINGS!

Gaara/Sakura

Naruto/Hinata

TenTen/Lee

Kurenai/Asuma (obviously. In this fic he isn't dead so *blows raspberry*)

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Haruno Sakura lay on the ground gasping for breath. She had just finished fighting/training with Hyuuga Neji . 'As long as my asthma doesn't act up, I'll be fine. I'll just lay here until my chakra flows normally again.' Sakura thought. Her eyes widened as she felt a bad attack coming on. 'Inner-chan I'm gonna separate our souls! I want you, no I _need_ you to run to the village and find Naruto. He has my inhaler! I left it with him because I thought I didn't need it! Run NOW!' Sakura screamed mentally as she shoved the girl out of her body. Inner Sakura nodded and created a chakra dome over her container. "**I'll be back soon**." She promised. "Hurry." Sakura wheezed. She coughed up blood and Inner Sakura ran for the village as fast as she could. On her way in, she fell on her butt as she ran into someone. "**Sorry. I need to get to the village. Sakura-chan's in trouble.**" Saki said. "Who are you?" The someone asked. Saki (I'm going to call her Saki since it's too complicated to type Inner Sakura all the time and she's essentially her own person outside of Sakura's body.) looked into jade green and realized Sabaku no Gaara was the one she slammed into.

"**My name is Inner Sakura. Saki for short. I'm usually inside Sakura-chan but she shoved me out. She's having a horrible asthma attack. If I don't find Naruto and her inhaler, she'll die. Sakura and I were sparring with Neji and he used his Juken on us too many times. I don't expect you to help me so please move so I can find someone who will.**" Saki replied. She made to leave but Gaara's cold voice stopped her. "Where is she?" He asked. "**Follow me Kazekage-sama. She's in a clearing a mile away. And please try to keep your sand to yourself. I don't have the chakra to fight with it. Most of it went into the dome I erected over Sakura-chan to protect her from any attackers. She's dying. I need to get her inhaler to her.**" With those words spoken, Saki took off in the direction she came from with Gaara following her.

They got to the clearing and Saki rushed to Sakura's side. "**Sakura-chan I didn't make it to the village but I brought help. I'm sure he can get you back faster than I can bring Naruto.**" Saki said. "Gaara-kun." Sakura smiled. Blood stained her lips redder than their natural cherry red. "Why did you come alone. Why not bring someone with you in case something like this happened?" Gaara demanded. He didn't show it but he was worried sick about the pink-haired woman. "Stupidity. I didn't think Neji-san would abandon me when I started coughing up blood." Sakura replied.

Saki touched the dome and it disappeared back into her hand. "Time to come back Saki-chan." Sakura said softly. "**Yeah I figured. I'm ready to come back. The outer world isn't very fun. I like it inside better.**" Saki replied. She touched Sakura's chest and the clearing turned pink for a minute or two then returned back to normal."We're ready to go." Sakura said. Gaara picked the woman up, making sure not to hurt her. "I'm not that fragile you know but I appreciate the care nonetheless." Sakura said softly. "Hn. You're severely injured. It would be foolish to handle you roughly." Gaara replied as if it were obvious.

Sakura smiled with blood-stained lips and teeth. "So you _do_ have a sense of humor. Just a very twisted one at times." She laughed. Gaara snorted as he carried her toward Konoha proper for medical treatment.

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First Chapter Reloaded. Enjoy ^_^


	2. Hospital Stay

Twilight: Hello everyone. I want to start this little story off with this: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! IF I DID, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SHAMELESS WITH PAIRINGS!

Gaara/Sakura

Naruto/Hinata

TenTen/Lee

Kurenai/Asuma (obviously. In this fic he isn't dead so *blows raspberry*)

* * *

Tsunade raised one blonde eyebrow when Gaara walked into the hospital with her apprentice looking like she'd just walked through a battlefield. "Sakura?" She said calmly. "Yes Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura looked up from her legs. "What happened?" Tsunade asked. "Oh. I was sparring with Neji and I had an asthma attack. A really bad one." Sakura replied sheepishly. The blonde sighed and motioned for Gaara to lay Sakura on the bed.

Tsunade got Sakura cleaned up, hooked into an IV for a blood drip and on oxygen with her asthma medication mixed into it. "Thank you for the help Gaara-kun." Sakura said cheerfully, voice slightly altered by the mask. "It's fine." Gaara replied. The trio heard a loud noise and Sakura groaned. 'Please not Naruto. I can't deal with him right now.' She thought. Sure enough her blond teammate exploded through the doors and hugged Sakura. "I heard you were admitted! Are you ok?!" He yelled. Sakura made a choking sound and Gaara found himself punching the blond off her before he could really think about it. "What the fuck Gaara?!" Naruto railed. "You're hurting her." Gaara grunted.

Sakura coughed and blood splashed into her mask. Tsunade cursed and flipped Sakura over before prying the mask off her face and healing her at the same time. "I knew I forgot something." She sweat-dropped. Sakura glared through watery eyes from coughing so hard and Gaara stared blankly. Naruto held Sakura's inhaler in his left hand and bowed slightly. "Sorry Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said softly. "I know you didn't baka. If you had, I'd have punched you Yuki." Sakura replied cheerfully. "Jeez even sick you're still evil." Naruto whined. Sakura grinned and flopped back onto the pillows behind her. "When can I leave?" She asked. "When I say so." Tsunade replied. Sakura nodded and got comfortable. "Ok." She said docilely.

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Second Chapter Reloaded. Enjoy ^_^


	3. I'm Sorry? Are You Stalking Me?

Twilight: Hello everyone. I want to start this little story off with this: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! IF I DID, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SHAMELESS WITH PAIRINGS!

Gaara/Sakura

Naruto/Hinata

TenTen/Lee

Kurenai/Asuma (obviously. In this fic he isn't dead so *blows raspberry*)

* * *

Tsunade let Sakura out of the hospital the next morning. "It's too much trouble to keep you in here for long. People complain that their favorite medic isn't there to heal them." She said teasingly. Sakura laughed and nodded as she signed the necessary paperwork. "Gaara-sama hasn't left since he brought you here. I think he might like you." Shizune said teasingly. Sakura smiled and shrugged. "I can't confirm or deny because I don't even know myself." She replied. Sakura got her new inhaler and a few extras so she wouldn't be stuck without one again. Naruto was on a mission but true to Shizune's words, Gaara was waiting for her when she was released.

"You waited the whole time?" Sakura asked. "Yes." Gaara replied. The pinkette was ridiculously pleased by this though she couldn't say why. "Thank you for waiting for me." Sakura said with a blush and a smile. Gaara shrugged. "I had the time." He replied. '**Liar. You skipped three important meetings to sit with this girl.**' Shukaku taunted. 'Silence demon.' Gaara snapped back. Sakura, used to people spacing, herself for one, just waited patiently for Gaara to come back to reality so she could go home. "Thank you for waiting for me Gaara." She said. Sakura kissed his cheek and left him standing there looking like an idiot with his mouth slightly hanging open.

Sakura hummed to herself as she took a shower after she cleaned her entire apartment from top to bottom, took two hits off her inhaler, and cooked herself something to eat. The pink haired kunoichi was drying her hair when the knock on her door sounded. She sighed. "Coming!" She called. Sakura opened the door to Neji. "What?" She asked. "I wanted to apologize for abandoning you in the woods." Neji replied. "It's fine. I made it back to the village in time that I didn't die." Sakura replied. "That's good. However it was rude and I am usually a gentleman." Neji said. "Apology accepted." Sakura replied. Neji blinked. "That's it? You don't want me to work my debt off?" He asked. "No. I just want to enjoy my days off and relax. My body is still healing from the damage inflicted on it." Sakura replied. Neji bowed. "Understood." He said. "Thank you." Sakura smiled. Neji handed her a small package and departed. Sakura sighed as she shut her door and turned toward her kitchen. "You shouldn't accept packages from random people." Gaara scolded her.

"Holy mother of fuck! Don't you know how to knock?! Or use a door for that matter?!" Sakura shrieked as she nearly broke her neck from the force of her turn. Gaara frowned and righted her with some sand. "I didn't mean to startle you." He said solemnly. Sakura was clutching her throat with wide eyes. "I think this goes beyond startled. I can rightly say you scared the fuck out of me. You and Naruto both have that nasty habit." She replied. Sakura headed into the kitchen and set the package on the counter. Gaara followed her silently. "Neji isn't random people. That idiot is the reason I had to go to the hospital. And before you think about it, I don't want him hurt in any way shape or form. He needs to be alive and whole." Sakura said. '**Damn. There went my plan to crush that little shit.**' Shukaku grunted. Gaara ignored the demon.

Sakura opened the package and smiled delightedly. "How on earth did Neji know I liked Aburame clan grown cherries?" She asked herself. "Perhaps he stalks you." Gaara snorted. Sakura rolled her eyes. "Must you be so negative?" She asked. "I'm being truthful. It would seem like something the Hyuuga would do." Gaara snorted again. "You would know." Sakura mumbled. "I would." Gaara agreed. 'Damn super hearing.' Sakura thought. The pink haired female washed the cherries off really well and her smile widened. "He even dug all the pits out for me. That was very kind of him." She said as she brought the bowl over and sat down at the table. Gaara joined her and she pushed a plate of cherries toward him. "I don't eat cherries." Gaara said. "Try them. They don't sell cherries in Suna. I know because I tried to buy some once." Sakura replied. Gaara sighed but obediently did as she said and ate one. "They're very sweet." He said. "Yeah. The Aburame clan grow their cherries until they're dark. The darker they are the sweeter they taste. I love their fruit." Sakura laughed. Gaara nodded. "What about desert-grown fruit?" He asked. "Well I haven't tried any. By the time I got to Suna, all the fruit was out of season." Sakura replied.

"Next time I come here, I will bring you the best fruit of the desert." Gaara promised before disappearing in a swirl of sand. Sakura just raised an eyebrow.

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Third Chapter. Enjoy ^_^


	4. Tsunade-shishou! You're Terrible!

Twilight: Hello everyone. I want to start this little story off with this: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! IF I DID, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SHAMELESS WITH PAIRINGS!

Gaara/Sakura

Naruto/Hinata

TenTen/Lee

Kurenai/Asuma (obviously. In this fic he isn't dead so *blows raspberry*)

* * *

Sakura got back into her daily routine and found that she didn't think much about anything with the mind-numbing normalcy she was putting herself through.

"Sakura? Tsunade-sama wants to see you in her office." Shizune said. "Ok." Sakura finished writing on a medical chart and smiled. "You're free to go now Neji. However please refrain from too much strenuous training." She added. "Hai." Neji replied. He disappeared and Sakura headed to the Hokage Tower to talk to Tsunade.

"You wanted to see me?" Sakura asked. "I did. Come in." Tsunade replied. Sakura obeyed and stood before her teacher's desk curiously. "Are you aware of how dangerous it is to begin an intimate relationship with the Kazekage?" Tsunade asked. Sakura coughed. "What? Intimate relationship? I don't understand Shishou." She replied. "Gaara-sama has been seen in your company every time he comes to Konoha. People are starting to talk and that talk has reached my ears. If it's reached mine, you can be assured it has reached the elders." Tsunade clarified. Sakura blushed. "I don't know why you're calling it intimate. He comes by my house for tea and sometimes we talk." She said.

Tsunade smirked. "I condone your relationship. The Elders might not. You should be very careful when you are seen in Gaara's presence." She replied. Sakura rolled her emerald eyes with some contempt on her face. "If I want to start a relationship with anyone, it's my business. Not the Elders' nor yours Tsunade-shishou. No offense but please inform the gossiper that supplies your information that I don't appreciate being speculated upon." She said stiffly. "Of course. It's not anyone's business that is true but I only thought to inform you because you are my student and your well being _is_ my business." Tsunade replied. "Thank you for your concern Shishou. I'm glad you took me aside privately rather than publicly." Sakura bowed. "I want you to find a nice man and settle down Sakura. I'd like grand babies before I die." Tsunade laughed. "Ugh! You're horrible Shishou!" Sakura cried. "By the way, Gaara will be here at the beginning of next month. He's here for the Sakura Matsuri." Tsunade said. "Thank you." Sakura bowed and departed from the tower.

Tsunade chuckled to herself as she cracked open a bottle of sake. "She's so cute." She said. "Isn't she?" Shizune agreed. "Ack! Where did you come from?" Tsunade yelped. "I was here the whole time. You just forgot about me." Shizune replied with a sweat drop. "Oh. Sake?" Tsunade offered. "Thank you." Shizune accepted.

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Fourth Chapter. Enjoy ^_^


	5. You're Mine

Twilight: Hello everyone. I want to start this little story off with this: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! IF I DID, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SHAMELESS WITH PAIRINGS!

Gaara/Sakura

Naruto/Hinata

TenTen/Lee

Kurenai/Asuma (obviously. In this fic he isn't dead so *blows raspberry*)

* * *

Sakura yawned as she dragged herself into her apartment at a quarter after three in the morning. "Shouldn't you take better care of yourself?" Gaara asked. "Holy mother of fucking shit! Are you trying to kill me?!" Sakura shrieked as she tripped over her own feet and landed on her back on the floor. Gaara stared at her and Sakura blushed. "I ended up having to work three shifts. I'm exhausted and I'm starving. I was preparing to eat something cold and fast before dying in my bed." She admitted. Gaara snorted and lifted a box. "What's that?" Sakura asked. "I promised to bring the best of Suna's fruit back next time did I not?" Gaara replied. "Oh yeah. I kind of forgot about that." Sakura blushed. "Figures." Gaara snorted again.

The pinkette stared in awe and hunger as Gaara brought out several delicious looking fruits from the box. "Oh it all looks delicious! Can I really eat it?" Sakura asked. "I brought it for you." Gaara replied. Sakura selected a few desert apricots, a dragon fruit, a few red barberries, a bush banana, and several desert almonds. "Thank you." She said softly. "Hn. Not a problem." Gaara replied as he followed her to the table to watch her eat. Sakura made some tea and they sat down together. "Tsunade-sama seems to think we're involved in some kind of intimate relationship. I told her it wasn't her concern but she's worried the Elders might object to a common kunoichi associating with the Kazekage." Sakura said.

Gaara frowned and shrugged carelessly. "I don't care what your elders think. If I wish to pursue a relationship with a kunoichi it is my choice and hers. No one else has a say in it. They will not be the ones carrying on the liaison. It will be myself and the female in question. What brought this on?" He asked. Sakura blushed. "Well apparently someone has seen us together quite a bit and has assumed that we're intimately involved. He or she told Tsunade-shishou who really doesn't care as long as it produces grandchildren...her words not mine...and agrees that it's our business." She replied. "Ah." Gaara said. Sakura nodded. "Yeah." She agreed.

Gaara stood up and reached into the box. He brought out a bouquet of desert flowers and presented it to her. "I would be honored if you would accompany me to the Sakura Matsuri as my personal date." Gaara said. Sakura was stunned. "Of course I will." She stuttered as she blushed as red as her top. Gaara smirked. "That gossiper of your Hokage's can take that to that old interfering woman and those elders and tell them all to shove it." He said. Sakura laughed and resumed eating her fruit. "This should last me until morning hopefully." She said. Gaara glared at her and grabbed her wrist. "No baka. This isn't food. It's a snack." He lectured as he dragged her out the door. "Gaara no! I'm covered in blood!" Sakura protested. "You're a shinobi. The vendors are used to bloody clients." Gaara refuted her protests.

Sakura ate her food happily and thanked the red head once again for dragging her out for real food. "You're supposed to be the doctor here. Not me. If we are to be involved in an intimate relationship, you are to take better care of yourself. No female of mine will neglect herself. It's something I won't tolerate." Gaara said. Sakura's jaw dropped and she stared at him with wide eyes and an undignified gape. "D-did you just say you were my boyfriend now?" She fairly shrieked. "Yes. Deal with it." Gaara replied. Sakura closed her mouth with an audible click and resumed eating her food. "How did you know pork sukiyaki was my favorite food?" She asked. "It was a guess. That and Naruto told me to make sure I wasn't poisoning you by accident." Gaara replied. "Ah." Sakura said.

Gaara allowed Sakura to walk on her own now that she wasn't planning on collapsing into a comatose state after eating. The pink haired kunoichi talked to him about whatever came to mind and surprisingly, he listened to every word she spoke. Sakura chatted about her patients, her job, getting upset when a patient died on her table, training, girl time with Ino, Temari, Tenten, and Hinata, Neji walking in on her naked and turning as red as her shirt. Hiashi dying of laughter when Hinata beat poor Neji half to death. Whatever she thought of, he listened. It made her inexplicably happy that he listened to her no matter what she was saying. No one had over done that for her before. Sure she was listened to on missions and whatnot but never had any one of her friends just listened to her babble. It endeared the Kazekage to her even more than bringing her the fruit, flowers, and buying her dinner had.

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Fifth Chapter. Enjoy ^_^


	6. Piss Off Elders!

Twilight: Hello everyone. I want to start this little story off with this: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! IF I DID, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY SHAMELESS WITH PAIRINGS!

Gaara/Sakura

Naruto/Hinata

TenTen/Lee

Kurenai/Asuma (obviously. In this fic he isn't dead so *blows raspberry*)

* * *

Tsunade read over the scroll on her desk and sighed. "Get Sakura in here if you please. Also send a copy of this scroll to Gaara-sama. Send Naruto. Gaara takes well to the blond." She ordered Shizune. "Hai Tsunade-sama." Shizune bowed obediently. The dark haired shinobi did as Tsunade ordered and went to fetch Sakura and Naruto.

Sakura grunted as someone knocked on her door at the ungodly hour of...eight am on her off day. "I'll get it. Stay in bed." Gaara said quietly. "M'kay. I can do that." Sakura yawned. Gaara smiled slightly and ruffled her hair before he headed into her living room to answer the door. "What?" He asked. "Oh my gods. Um you're supposed to be in Suna." Shizune squeaked. "Well I'm not. Besides, I'm the Kazekage. I can go where I want, when I want." Gaara replied. "So um Sakura is being summoned to Tsunade-sama's office." Shizune said.

Sakura growled as she was thrown over Gaara's shoulder and taken to Hokage tower after she refused to get out of bed. "Put me down!" She yelled. "No. You should have just done as I said." Gaara replied. "Do you have any idea how undignified I look slung over your shoulder? And you didn't bother to get me dressed! Do you know the view you're giving the other people of my ass?!" Sakura hissed angrily. "They would be stupid to look." Gaara replied. Sakura glared and crossed her arms. "You're mean you know that?" She snapped. "Act your age." Gaara snorted. He walked into the tower, ignoring the stares he was receiving.

Tsunade choked on her sake when Gaara walked into her office with Sakura slung over his shoulder. "You called?" He asked as he gently deposited her in the nearest chair. "Caveman much?" Sakura taunted. "Silence woman." Gaara replied with no real bite to his words. Sakura rolled her eyes and mocked him in a poor imitation deep voice. Tsunade carefully put her bottle of sake away. "Sakura, Gaara-sama. The elders have gotten wind of your...arrangement and are greatly displeased. They are demanding that Sakura allow you to find a woman of your own station and for her to stay in her place." She said carefully. Gaara's jade eyes darkened with displeasure and Sakura sighed. "Ever since Team 7 came back together, those old bags have been looking for an excuse, any excuse to take me to task. I don't give a royal rat's ass what they think or say because I am a grown woman. I can date whom I wish to date and I can, excuse my crude language, fuck whomever I wish to fuck. It's honestly none of their business who I see and what I choose to do in my spare time." She said calmly. Tsunade laughed. "Yes I know. So I have arranged for you to tell them to their faces. I'm sure you'll take great pleasure in that. They can't really do anything about your arrangement." She replied.

The door to Tsunade's office opened and the two Konoha elders and Danzo walked in with displeased looks on their faces. "What kind of common kunoichi dares to rise above her position?" Danzo started off. Sakura stared blankly. "Surely you would be overjoyed with my liaison since it insures that Suna will never have cause to bow out of our peace treaty." She replied sweetly. Gaara turned dark eyes on the trio of old people and nodded. "Sakura is the third top medic in Konoha. I would say that having her at my side is much more effective than a piece of paper that can be destroyed at any time. As long as Sakura and I are involved romantically, Suna and her allies would have no cause to declare war on Konoha. And in reverse, Konoha would have no need to declare war on Suna. It's a very profitable situation from both ends. However...should our relationship be disputed...I may decide that a peace treaty with Konoha wouldn't be very beneficial to my people in which I will just take Sakura by force and declare war should you attempt to take her back. Either way, she is mine and I won't be giving her up any time soon." He agreed. Tsunade forced herself not to die laughing at the rage on the Elders' faces. "You would dare threaten one of the largest shinobi villages in the Five Nations?!" Koharu shrieked. Gaara smirked. "If I were to let Shukaku have free reign, it wouldn't matter how powerful you are. I could probably destroy enough of this village that the villagers would willingly throw Sakura at me to stop the destruction." He replied coolly. Sakura nodded. "Probably. I'm only third strongest kunoichi in the village after Tsunade-sama and Shizune." She agreed.

The Elders and Danzo looked like they swallowed a particularly bitter lemon. "We are starting to see the...benefits of an arrangement between yourself and Haruno-san." Himura said after a few minutes of silence. Sakura smiled beautifully. "I knew you would honored elders. Thank you for your consideration." She replied respectfully. The Elders and Danzo left and Tsunade began laughing. Tears streamed down her face as she laughed and Shizune sighed. "I think she's gone mad." She said. "No. That's repressed laughter." Sakura replied.

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Fifth Chapter. Enjoy ^_^


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